Montserrat Caballe "Jewel's song" Met Debut 22/12/65

[hswatnik]

Having heard quite a number of singers in my lifetime, Mz Caballe stands very high on the mountain-

[longlifeluke]

OMG!!!!! O_O

[johnnybouhaha]

@Onegin65 Can you upload the final trio from this performance? Caballe rocks!!

[Zva26]

In light of her later accomplishments, it seems a bit strange to me that Caballe' would have made her Met debut in this particular role ----- certainly one of her least important roles. Possibly it was the only way she could still have a chance to have sung at the Old Met. Still, this seems like an odd choice for such important debut.

Whatever the case, she was one of the "greats" even though this particular role does little to display her greatest gifts.

[Dymension]

@Zva26 Actually it was her "unofficial" debut. It was a rush to get her into the old Met before it closed based on her success at Carnegie Hall in Lucrezia Borgia. Her "official" Met debut was Traviata 1967.

[Zva26]

@Dymension - That makes total sense. She obviously wanted the opportunity to sing in the "old house". Too bad that it had to be this particular role. But she certainly made up for it in Lincoln Center with her Violetta, Norma, Ariadne, Elena, Desdemona, Tosca, Mimi and whatever else she performed.

[CurzonRoad]

Great!

Thank you!

[lucianapb10]

Wow...Where do you find this, Onegin65 ??? Are you an arqueologist or what?? hahahaha....Thanks a lot

[MastersoftheOpera]

I adore Caballe but I don't think she had "Marguerite" from Faust in her. It's a lovely version of the Jewel Song, but it did seem a tad sloppy here & there. It's nice to hear her live but it just didn't do it for me. Caballe had many successes but this wasn't one of them (not for me). Victoria De Los Angeles does a superior job and her recording of Faust is marvelous.

[donnavoce]

Хорошо!

Сейчас она поет хуже.

[skitzo429]

she has such a beautiful voice, people cut her down because she didnt have super high notes, but its not all about the bravura

[musoph21]

@skitzo429 i used to be all about high notes when i first started exploring opera..but Caballe has made me totally forget about high notes. I think high notes are impressive. But I would rather her sing anything than hear a soprano with the best high notes...no one beats her pure tone, dramatic/chesty notes, phrasing, emotional vulnerability..those things are more important ;)

[eastfiftyseven]

@skitzo429 didn't have suer high notes? Are you kidding?  Exquisite beauty in the upper register plus the dynamic range and the spectacular pianissimi are what makes Caballe so phenomenal in my view.

[skitzo429]

@eastfiftyseven no no, there wasnt anything wrong with her high notes, they were beautiful, she just didnt have the high notes of other coloraturas, they just werent there. She almost never sang above high C, sometimes Db. ive head a single recording of her with a high D (in anna bolena), nothing higher. for the type of repertoire she sang most bel canto coloraturas have Es or Fs, which made her somewaht unusual, but she had a very beautiful voice

[Dymension]

@skitzo429 Absolutely right. There is a live Aroldo where she sings a spectacular Db in the words "Madre, o Madre". I also have that infamous Anna Bolena from La Scala 1982 where she took the high D. She was essentially your full lyric, possibly spinto soprano who happened to move her voice very well.

[sam0xin]

Lovely..Divine..Sweet...Divine­..Lovely..

[tjfloyd]

OMG, I was at this performance (it was MY Met debut as well, as an audience member).  Never expected to hear this again. Thanks for posting.

[aaronsande]

@tjfloyd You may never hear its LIKE again, but now you can hear IT again and again and again =D

[gamronlaura]

que belleza, ella es perfecta! que gracia y estilo! monserrat diosa!!

[reydogoloyugo23]

Fantantic song she made!

[noncondition]

It's a diamond ...

[aurele65]

La prononciation est correcte. Ce n'est pas la meilleure interprétation de cet air mais c'est bien chanté. Mon interprétation préférée est celle de Cheryl Studer sous la direction de Michel Plasson.

[troppofiato]

Great to remember what a gorgeous, thrilling instrument Caballe had in her youth. One of the most beautiful soprano voices ever, with a rock solid technique and great inate musicality.

[janejones11]

Interesting stuff. Onegin65: thank you for sharing your rare, historical recordings, they are a treat !

[Klassizismus]

Montserrat - she's really one of the greatest singers ever!

[drdre333]

si si belle...

Thank you for this rare glimpse into history.

[MusicaParola]

Que de bijoux, indeed.